Four foot X-wing (ILM tribute)

[427 Cobra]

Thanks, Julien! I'm just beginning on these. There are some other parts that go on these, but those will have to wait. I messed up the left panel yesterday, and I'll have to remake it today.


This is the mostly finished right wing panel. I still have yet to place the small chip on the top left in the correct spot - I was trying to do this from memory, but it's just a little off. I'm not going to replace it now, I have to make an all new left panel. I accidentally misplaced the sealab panel with a slightly crooked side when I glued it - I hadn't noticed until it was too late, and the glue had already set! I couldn't use the same method to remove it, as I did the other one.








You can't see the chevron (radiator panel) has lines on it, but it does. This is also too big for the correct shape of the four foot monster, but it is correct for the smaller X-wings from the original movie. This is proportionate to the 18" 1/2 studio scale models. but it's not for this one. I can't take it off, or redo this now this it's glued, it'll ruin the panel, and the acrylic under it trying to remove styrene, and glue. You'd see a telltale "witness line" where the glue was. This stuff is also caustic, so it eats into the plastics. It'll just have to stay this way. I was hoping to have this done before the holidays, but so many setbacks....

I want this done so bad, so I can paint my own version, but it won't happen before Christmas with all the holiday shipping that will be going on now! This would make a great Christmas present for me! I wanted to have this cast before the end of the month, but I need a vac-former now.




Here you can finally see the lines that are in this panel.





This is/was the panel for the left side - I trashed it because of the paint stripper I used removed more acrylic around the edges that I wanted it to. This made a mess out what was left once the styrene came off. I should've been more careful, since I knew that it softens plastics, but I was desparate to remove the two panels from each other without making a huge sanding mess. It'll take less time for me to make a new panel than it would to attempt to save the old one, which I just took the protective covering off LAST NIGHT!

Look carefully, and you'll see the edge where I broke this in half to keep me from being tempted to use it anyway. I did this over the sink this morning. All this because I glued the styrene panel on facing the wrong way! I hope to have good news later today, as I have to go outside, and freeze while making a new intake panel to replace this one. Joy, oh, joy! These are angled to join the other panels at a 45 degree angle, which I'll have to sand into the new part. Wish me luck!